Starbucks to offer coconut milk

Starbucks is adding coconut milk as a creamer option after more than 84,000 consumers petitioned the chain via MyStarbucksIdea.com to stock the soy and dairy milk alternative. The chain said the issue drew more customer input than anything except the logistics of redeeming rewards through the Starbucks frequent-guest program.

The coconut milk will provide consumers with soy or dairy allergies with a way to safely lighten up their beverages, Starbucks said. It chose coconut milk in lieu of almond milk because of the prevalence of nut allergies.

The chain will specify that the coconut milk comes from a single source, the Indonesian island of Sumatra, rather than being blended from a variety of growing regions.

The new creamer was tested at the end of 2014, Starbucks said. The response from employees was “remarkable,” the chain said.

Requests for the additional creamer were fielded almost daily via MyStarbucksIdea.com, a website where customers and employees of the chain can suggest changes in menus or operations.

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